


.fade

by Rahenna



Series: Rahenna's Gakuen Heaven Oneshots [18]
Category: Gakuen Heaven 2 ~Double Scramble~
Genre: Declining Health, Illness, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-21
Updated: 2017-03-21
Packaged: 2018-10-08 23:03:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,531
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10398141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rahenna/pseuds/Rahenna
Summary: As Nao's health fades, Sakaki spends as much time as possible at his side, knowing that their time together is limited.





	

**January 12, 2017**

I shouldered open the door of the staff dorm, waving the apologizing security officer away. "It's fine, I don't need help." I brushed past with a curt nod of acknowledgment, making my way to the small apartment at the far end of the dorm, passing by my own studio along the way. The last apartment was the largest, reserved for the most important member of staff.

_Suzubishi Nao  
BL School Director_

I set my briefcase on the floor, freeing one hand to dig in my pocket for his keycard. The reader let out a soft electronic beep, door clicking open at a light touch.

"I'm back," I murmured, pushing my way inside. The entryway was dimly lit by the light from the adjoining living room, which was nothing more than dusty storage for Nao's collection of books.

I stifled a sneeze. _I should arrange for a cleaning service. The dust is getting out of hand._ It was rare for either of us to use the dorm entrance, preferring the door that connected directly to the outside both for privacy and because it was a shorter distance from there to the school building. But the weather was too cold and windy, and I didn't want to risk even the smallest bit of chill getting into the apartment. Everything in Nao's life was like that, carefully planned to maximize convenience, minimize effort, and eliminate risk.

I made my way to the kitchen, pausing to drop my briefcase off near the office door, and switched on the electric kettle before unpacking the contents of the takeout bag. It held two nearly identical lacquered bento boxes, one with a sakura motif and the other with a peony. A quick peek confirmed that the sakura was mine, the standard Japanese set, and the peony was a custom lunch of Nao's favorites. I set them on a large tray and set about preparing the tea. The ceramic teapot clinked and rattled as I set it down, and I heard the creak of a bed in the distance.

"Sojiro-san, is that you?" Nao's voice drifted from the bedroom, thin and tired.

_Like Nao himself._ I pushed that thought from my mind and called out, "Yeah, it's me. I have lunch, I'll bring it in as soon as the tea's ready."

As I waited for the water, my eyes fell upon the tall vase of irises at the center of the small dining table. I'd brought them to Nao for the new year. They weren't traditional new year flowers, but ever since our first year of working together, when I'd randomly chosen them as a birthday gift, I always brought Nao beautiful purple-blue irises for special occasions.

Now that nearly two weeks had passed, the blooms were starting to fade, the edges of the purple-blue petals brown and curling under as the stems drooped. It was time for them to go. I reached for the vase and pulled it close, scrunching my nose as the sudden motion sent foul-smelling water sloshing around, and grabbed the dying bouquet.

And stopped. And stared at the way my fingers curled around the stems of the innocent flowers, cut from the earth before their time, briefly set on display for the pleasure of their purchaser. Now that they had dared to fade, they were doomed to be discarded as trash, forgotten in an instant. 

I released the flowers, reaching out to brush trembling fingers along the silky petals. I'd only recently learned the meaning of irises from the florist, who was shocked that I'd been gifting bouquets on a regular basis without understanding their symbolism.

_Faith and hope, good news... so what does it mean when the flowers fade? Faith and hope are dead?_

I turned my back, ignoring the chill that stiffened my spine, and brewed the tea. A few minutes later, I carried the tray into the bedroom, taking care not to spill anything as I set it down on the bedside table. "Nao, it's not good to be in the dark all day," I fussed, pushing aside the curtains and opening the blinds to let in the weak winter sunlight.

"Yeah," he murmured, rubbing at his eyes with the back of one hand. "But I was asleep until just now... is it really time for lunch already?"

"Yes. And don't even think of telling me you're not hungry." My eyes swept over his slight form, and I tried not to frown. The ridiculous oversized nightgown hid the ridges of his ribs and the worrying thinness of his arms, but the loose neckline revealed protruding collarbones. He'd always had a pointed disinterest in food that was incomprehensible to me, a self-styled gourmet, but this went well beyond a lack of appetite.

_You're not getting better._ I forced down that thought as soon as it surfaced.

As if sensing my gaze, Nao let his hand drop from his face to his chest, rubbing over the patch of pale skin. "Well, I didn't have breakfast, so I'm pretty hungry..." He leaned over to pluck his glasses from the nightstand, ducking his head as he slid them into place. "Ah, a bento again?"

"Not just any bento. I had Sonoda make you a custom one with all your favorites." I sat on the edge of the mattress and busied myself with pouring the tea. "Did you take your morning meds before going back to sleep?"

"Of course, Dr. Sakaki."

I sighed. "Don't be a brat, Nao."

He let out a quiet laugh. "Sorry, you know it's my nature to be annoying."

"Yeah, and I also know you have a fundamentally bad nature. How on earth anyone thought it was a good idea to put you in charge of a school is beyond me." I offered him a teacup. "Here, I made sure it wasn't too hot this time."

"Sojiro-san..." All the playfulness was gone from Nao's voice, his expression serious as he glanced at me, then lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry... you having to come back here and take care of me like this."

I snorted. "Don't worry. If I didn't enjoy being overworked, I never would have become a teacher."

His thin shoulders slumped. "I'm being serious. It's not your job to take care of me--"

"Nao," I interrupted, putting aside the teacup and taking his hand. It was cold. "I don't think of this as a job or some sort of duty. It's only natural to take care of..." I caught myself before a confession of love could slip out. "Of someone who's important to you when they're not feeling well. You'd do the same for me."

He gave a small nod, eyes averted, but I knew he wasn't convinced. Or maybe he was annoyed by my obvious slip, one in a series of near-admissions that I'd found hard to control recently. As Nao's health declined, so did my ability to hold back my emotions. Every little mistake aggravated his already precarious mental state, the stirring of my unwanted affection threatening to take down the entire house of cards.

_I should have left long ago, back when you first denied my feelings. But I couldn't._ I squeezed his hand. _Because I knew you were lying to yourself as well as me._

Nao's hand trembled inside mine. "But it's your birthday. I didn't get you anything, or plan anything. Even if I'd made a reservation, it's not like we could go out anyway."

"Is that what's bothering you?" I brushed the fingers of my free hand through his hair, letting them slip down and trace the line of his jaw before falling away. That light touch was enough to make a blush blossom on his pale cheek. "It's fine, Nao, we can go when you're feeling better."

His eyes fixed on my face for a moment, the truth I'd felt before echoed in his gaze. _I'm not getting better this time._ Then he smiled. "Yeah, that's true. Let's do that, then. And happy birthday, Professor. Try to remember that it's your twenty-seventh and not your eighty-seventh, just for me, okay?"

I forced a smile. "You say that, but why don't _you_ try acting twenty instead of fifteen for once?"

I was expecting a snappy reply, but Nao remained quiet, looking down at his hands. The unusual reaction tied my stomach in knots; it wasn't like him to be hesitant. "What is it?"

"Do you really have to go back to work after this? Can't someone cover your afternoon classes?" There was a plaintive, needy note in his voice, so honest it stung my heart.

Thoughts flashed through my mind without my input: _none of the other teachers are qualified to cover my classes, the curriculum I've planned is so tight I can't afford to skip a single day, I have three tutoring sessions lined up this afternoon._ But none of that mattered. 

_I can't afford to skip a single day with you, knowing they're coming to an end._

I choked back the lump in my throat and nodded. "I'll call Nakamura. But first, let's eat."

"Okay," he murmured, reaching out to rest one hand on my thigh. "Let's eat."

~ end ~

**Author's Note:**

> Originally submitted for the multifandom collaboration project, 「[hanazono](https://hanazonocollab.tumblr.com/)」.
> 
> My author's note from the collab:
> 
> Yes, there really is a Gakuen Heaven 2, and it's a masterpiece of storytelling! Professor Sakaki Sojiro is my favorite character in anything ever, brilliant and sensitive, though cynical and jaded thanks to a bitter past. Suzubishi Nao is a former ward of the state who was adopted by the famous Suzubishi family, and a bright idealist trapped in a body crippled by an incurable heart condition. The potential for tragic romance is undeniable!
> 
> Sakaki and Nao aren't a canon couple but you really don't have to squint too hard to see how it would work. They're rivals by necessity and have very different personalities, but become close friends because they're both idealists at heart. Sadly, Nao dies before the events of the game, but his influence lives on - especially in his role as Sakaki's conscience. 
> 
> I always imagine their romance to be a tangled mess of lies and self-deception, with Nao unwilling to accept responsibility for Sakaki's feelings, choosing to pretend that they're just FWB so he doesn't have to face the reality of his imminent death hurting Sakaki. And of course Sakaki goes along with it, sacrificing his own emotions (and, uh, dignity) in order to stay with the man he loves. IT'S COMPLICATED OKAY. I tried to allude to this underlying emotional mess in the story but word limits, haha. Anyway, I've associated irises with Sakaki/Nao for a while - my first ever GH2 fic mentioned Sakaki giving Nao irises for his birthday, so it kind of stuck. Again, the other flowers are hanakotoba. :)


End file.
